I’ve come to the conclusion that I must be spoiled. Not in the way of gifts, goodies and money from Dad, but spoiled by Chefs and their creativity. I realized this after two recent food excursions in Philly. I had a craving for tacos- I just wanted a little, delicious, soft, sweet corn taco. I didn’t really care what it was filled with as I love all types of fillings; from al pastor, to pescado to barbacoa, to chorizo, to legua. Damn even a vegetariano taco can be the perfect finger food. I just get these craving for Mexican spice. The kind that stirs-up the taste buds on your tongue, the creaminess of perfectly cooked beans, the fresh herbaceousness of chopped cilantro, and the warmth of the corn tortilla folded between my finger tips.
So back to my excursions, I decided to hit up La Lupe (1201 S. 9th St) in the Italian/Mexican Market area. I must confess it was my first La Lupe trip. Not that I’ve been out of the La Lupe loop- it has been on my food hit-list for quite sometime now. Actually ever since my former boss told me how deliciously authentic and cheap the legua tacos were there- after he found out I was overpaying for them at Distrito. So there I was in the bright garage like room of La Lupe with 5 tacos in front of me- goat, spicy pork, chorizo, beef tongue and chicken. Covered on chopped cilantro, minced onions and a puree of guacamole, they certainly looked like the perfect taco treat although rather large in size, but a steal for $2.50 a pop. A bite of each one revealed a similarity between each. Fresh, warm, but empty in the flavor explosion that I crave. I doused them with a goop of the hot salsa verde that comes served on the side with the crispy tortilla chips. That picked up the heat, but I can honestly say the only one I found truly gratifying was the chorizo. Which makes sense because chorizo naturally has so much to savor that it could never be bland. The spicy pork was a second runner-up. It had a slight marinade of spices that gave it an extra punch than the ordinary chicken taco that was on the plate. And sure the lengua had that superb tenderness that I adore, but fell flat on MY tongue.
So what gives, I thought? Did our soon to be Next Iron Chef José Garces spoil me with his intoxicating flavor combinations at Distrito? Never have I found his chicken tacos to be insipid. Infact the pollo that’s been pulled so that each shred is clothed in the tomato based ropa vieja sauce is as
The Next Iron Chef??
addictive as it is messy. And José’s legua taco is pure luxury, the soft silky texture and the Guajillo chile glaze that infuses this tender muscle with a tinge of moderate heat and a dollop of salsa verde adds another complex layer of zing. Could tacos get anymore flawless?? Bone fide ingredients? Yes, but authentic in taste? Well not exactly. The flavors are definitely glorified and indeed take extra steps in the preparation process- but the end result is a taco that not just simmers on the palate, but rocks the inside of your mouth with a multitude of fervent flavors!
Could I be bored with authentic? I decided to give it another try. So there I was in Fishtown, doing some cabinet shopping when I thought of Taco Riendo. “There’s a taco place called Taco Reindo around here- right?” I asked my Kelli, the sales woman. She replied “oh yeah, it’s around the corner on 5th & Thompson, the tacos are really good”. When we got done, I was starving so in the car and off to 5th St to find Taco Riendo (1501 N. 5th St), I went. Now this place had charm. I sense of warmth and cheeriness with its orange-hued wood and open air windows. I ordered 3 tacos, the enchilada pork, the grilled fish, and the veggie. And a drink of the day special- a non-alcohol Champurrado (an extra thick mixture of warm chocolate, masa, milk and cinnamon). It reminded me of an extremely gooey chai latte, and was my favorite part of lunch. The tacos were again larger than Chef Garces’ and almost as big as La Lupe’s. The pescado had such an off putting smell, that it rendered it inedible. The pork was tough and chewy, so the only edible one was the vegetariano- a mixture of rice, whole beans, cheese, lettuce and pico de gallo. The simple fresh flavors, along with my addition of a drizzle of their chipotle salsa was respectably tasty enough. I looked down at my one third eaten taco lunch disappointedly. I sipped on my Champurrado, contemplating the slogan of Taco Riendo- “Authentic Mexican Taqueria La Salsa Hace La Differencia” which means the Salsa makes all the difference. But does it?
I think the salsa makes all the difference when it is integrated in the taco filling itself, and not just placed on the side or on top. I can’t help but feel unfulfilled by my Riendo and La Lupe experiences. In fact it makes me crave the intensity of Distrito’s spices, or the slow baked pork in the achiote marinade that makes the Cochinita Pibil served with warm tacos on the side at Las Bugambilias so memorable. I truly believe our great Chefs have spoiled me. And I can not deny, I like being spoiled, it’s pure pleasure!
You can be sure I will be hitting up Distrito soon. Hey, I still have that taco craving, and there’s an Iron Chef Party coming up! What better way to route for one of the Chef’s who spoiled me than with a taco (and margarita) in hand?
Filed under: Bites, Restaurant Reviews Tagged: | Distrito, Food Philly, Iron Chef Party, Jose Garces, La Lupe, Las Bugambilias, Taco Riendo, Tacos Philly, The Next Iron Chef
